Biker died of injuries after crash outside Derbyshire business

A motorcyclist died from injuries sustained in a crash with a car outside a Derbyshire business, a coroner has ruled.

Peter Bratton, 57, passed away in hospital on May 18, 2016 - three days after his Honda motorbike was in collision with a Nissan Micra as it exited Sainsbury's petrol station on Sheffield Road, Dronfield.

The scene of the crash. You can see the exit on the right as well as the hedge, a parked car and a street light. Picture: Google.

A Chesterfield coroners' court inquest heard the views of both Mr Bratton and the Micra driver were obscured by a hedge and a parked car outside the site.

Derbyshire County Council has now removed the hedge and drawn double yellow lines at the scene.

Recording a narrative conclusion, coroner Peter Nieto said: "The court concludes that Mr Bratton died in the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield as a result of injuries sustained in his collision with the car exiting the petrol station on May 15, 2016.

"The court finds that the view of the car driver and of Mr Bratton were obscured due to the hedge running in front of the petrol station and due to a car parked next to the petrol station.

"There is also a lamppost next to the petrol station exit which is capable of restricting the view of drivers leaving the petrol station.

"The calculations made by the investigating police officers demonstrated that the foregoing obstructions were likely to have interfered with the view of the car driver and of Mr Bratton and they would only have been aware of possible collision relatively close to the point of impact.

"Furthermore, Mr Bratton was travelling in excess of the 30mph speed limit and this is likely to have prevented evasive action by either driver - and Mr Bratton in particular.

"Mr Bratton's excessive speed is also likely to have resulted in him sustaining more serious injuries than had he been travelling within the speed limit.

"The car driver was a relatively newly-qualified driver and it was the first time that he had used that petrol station.

"However, the court did not hear any cogent evidence that the car driver's actions or competence were below the standard of that of a competent driver.

"The court notes that the local authority has now put down double yellow lines to prevent cars parking in front of the petrol station and has removed the hedge."